“Participation in the European Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity

PROGRESS”

INT MARKT 31052

Organised in co-operation with:

The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy

& The Ministry of Economy and Regional Development,

Serbia

Venue:

Holiday Inn Beograd ****

74 Spanskih boraca CS 11070 - Belgrade

Telephone : +381-11- 3100000 Fax : +381-11-3100100

Belgrade, Serbia

14-15 October, 2008 For more information on TAIEX assistance and to download presentations of this

event, please go to: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/taiex.

Aim of the meeting: Serbia's participation in PROGRESS – EC Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity – is seen by the Serbian Government as one of the key preparatory activities for the participation in EU initiatives in the field of social policy and employment open for member states, such as in those financed by the European Social Fund and EQUAL. It is also expected to significantly contribute to the preparation for participation in the 4th IPA (Financial Instrument of Pre-accession Assistance) component Human Resources Development. Therefore, the seminar in Belgrade would represent an important way of supporting all stakeholders in Serbia in the process of their prospective participation in the Programme. Having in mind that the previous seminar on PROGRESS held in Belgrade in November 2007 gathered around 50 participants and that the interest of potential beneficiaries of the Programme has significantly increased since, it is estimated that the workshop would attend at least 100 representatives of national authorities, social partners, NGOs, educational and research institutions, etc. All the problems, open issues, difficulties, possibilities, challenges and other aspects could be discussed directly with experts from the European Commission and with national coordinators in Serbia, but primarily with the beneficiary organizations from the EU which have significant experience in project management and are already implementing projects within the framework of PROGRESS. The event would be opened by Serbian high officials, who also participated in the press conference held by Mr. Vladimir Spidla, EU Commissioner for employment, social affairs and equal opportunities, on the occasion of his visit to Belgrade in October 2007, when Serbia’s participation in PROGRESS was announced publicly for the first time.

Day I: Tuesday 14 October, 2008

Chair: Ms. Miona Popovic, Ministry of Economy and Regional

Development

8:30 - 9:30 Registration

9:30 - 10:00 Opening Speech

Mr. Rasim Ljajic, Minister of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of Serbia (tentatively confirmed)

Ms Vesna Kovac, State Secretary, Ministry of Economy and Regional Development (tentatively confirmed)

10:00 - 11:00 Decision No 1672/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 2006 establishing a Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity — PROGRESS

Ms Flaminia Bussacchini, Deputy Head of Unit, Unit 01 – General Coordination and Interinstitutional Relations, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities

(confirmed)

11:00 - 11:30 Coffee break

11:30 - 12:00 Participation of the Republic of Serbia in the EC Programme PROGRESS

Mr. Ivan Sekulovic, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Serbia; Member of the PROGRESS Committee

(confirmed)

12:00 – 13:00 Case study: Project within PROGRESS component Employment

Mr. Peter Oberbichler, Public Employment Service, Austria

(confirmed)

13:00 – 14:30 Lunch Break

14:30 – 15:30 Case study: Project within PROGRESS component Working Conditions

Mr. Palle Banke, Teknological Institute, Denmark

(confirmed)

15:30 - 16:30 Q&A

Day II: Wednesday 15 October, 2008

Chair: Ms. Dragana Radovanovic, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy

8:30 - 9:30 Registration

9:30 - 10:30 Case study: Project within PROGRESS component Non discrimination & Diversity

Ms. Sinikka Keskinen, Ministry of the Interior, Finland

(confirmed)

10:30 - 11:15 Case study: Anti-Discrimination Project (Serbian experiences in the preparation of project proposals within the framework of PROGRESS)

Mr. Sasa Gajin, Center for Advanced Legal Studies, Belgrade

(confirmed)

11:15 - 11:45 Coffee break

11:45 - 12:45 Case study: Project within PROGRESS component Social Protection and Social Inclusion

Ms. Kapka Panayotova, European Network of Independent Living, Bulgaria

(confirmed)

12:45 - 13:30 Case study: Gender Equality Project (Serbian experiences in the preparation of project proposals within the framework of PROGRESS)

Ms. Natalija Micunovic, director

Gender Equality Directorate – Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Serbia

(confirmed)

13:30 - 15:00 Lunch break

15:00 - 15:45 EU Social Networks

Ms. Kapka Panayotova, European Network of Independent Living, Bulgaria

(confirmed)

15:45 – 16:30 Case study: Valencia's experiences from the participation in EU funds: Migrants and innovative approaches.

Mr Miguel Mares, Valencia Regional Office, Spain

(confirmed)

16:30 - 17:00 Q & A and end of workshop

This meeting is being organised by the

Technical Assistance Information Exchange Instrument

of the European Commission

CHAR 03/149, B - 1049 Brussels

Telephone: +32-2-296 73 07, Fax: +32-2-296 76 94

Web site http://taiex.ec.europa.eu/